Vauxhall and Tesco have announced they will offer free EV charging to incentivise motorists to make the electric transition.
Vauxhall has announced a groundbreaking partnership with Tesco, one of the UK’s leading supermarket chains, to provide new Vauxhall electric vehicle (EV) customers with a significant perk: one year’s worth of free EV charging credit at Tesco stores nationwide.
Expanding EV charging infrastructure
This initiative is powered by Pod Point, a leading provider of EV charging solutions. Tesco boasts an impressive network of 2,700 charging bays across 619 stores throughout the country, making it the largest supermarket charging network in the UK.
These charging stations offer a variety of power outputs ranging from 7kW to 75kW, catering to different EV models.
With Tesco stores strategically located, over 70% of the UK population can reach one within a 10-minute drive. This widespread accessibility ensures greater convenience for EV drivers, facilitating easier access to charging facilities across the country.
Clare Gregorio, Head of Retail partnerships at Tesco, said: “We’re committed to reducing carbon emissions across our business, including becoming carbon neutral across our own operations by 2035. We want to encourage our customers to make sustainable choices too, such as moving to electric vehicles.
“That’s why we’re delighted to partner with Vauxhall in providing the UK’s largest supermarket EV charging network, making it easy and convenient for our customers to top up their electric cars while they shop with us.”
Free EV charging for Vauxhall customers
While these charge points are accessible to all EV drivers, the one-year free EV charging credit is exclusively available to new Vauxhall retail customers who purchase a Vauxhall EV directly from a Vauxhall retailer.
This free EV charging partnership aims to incentivise the adoption of electric vehicles by providing tangible benefits to consumers.
James Taylor, Managing Director of Vauxhall, echoed the significance of the move: “As electric vehicle sales continue to grow, access to practical charging continues to be a hot topic to ensure the UK can continue along its electrification journey, whether at home, on-street or at a required destination.
“In partnership with Tesco, Vauxhall is continuing to support electric vehicle drivers across the country, offering free EV charging for any new Vauxhall customer visiting a Tesco store.
“We’re committed to electrifying Britain and helping UK motorists to make the switch to electric. We are excited to begin working with Tesco and look forward to seeing the UK’s charging network grow, allowing even more convenient charging solutions for drivers to make their day-to-day journeys.”
Electric Streets of Britain Initiative
The collaboration between Vauxhall and Tesco is part of Vauxhall’s broader Electric Streets of Britain initiative.
This initiative addresses the deficiency in on-street charging infrastructure in the UK. Research conducted by Vauxhall revealed that a significant portion of UK councils lacked a published strategy for residential on-street charging, and a majority had not installed any on-street chargers.
Through the Electric Streets of Britain initiative, Vauxhall has established an ‘Enablement Fund’ to support Local Authorities in understanding the need for residential on-street charging.
Collaborating with leading charging operators such as Char.gy, Connected Kerb, and SureCharge, Vauxhall aims to facilitate the installation of on-street residential EV chargers.
This partnership between Vauxhall and Tesco signifies a significant step towards promoting electric vehicle adoption in the UK, addressing infrastructure challenges, and making EV ownership more accessible and convenient for consumers nationwide.
